Fabric and method of making the same



Feb. 11, 1930. E. F. KING 1,746,948

FABRIC AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Jul 22, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 gnuc nfoz E12 Ward J. ,li i129.

Feb. 11, 1930. I v E. F. KING 1,746,948

I FABRIC AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed July 22, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

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Edward Patented Feb. 11, 1930 UNITED STATES EDWARD 1'. KING, OF WAKEFIELD, RHODE ISLAND FABRIC AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Application filed July 22, 1924. Serial No. 727,465.

My invention relates to a fabric formed of a combination of rubber and textile threads adapted for use in tires, shoe heels, and for other purposes, and to a method of making 6 such a fabric.

One of the objects of this invention is the provision of a fabric of this character, which is formed of a plurality of strips united together, each strip havin a core of rubber 1 surrounded by a sheath of textile threads, the threads of thesheath being imbedded in a coatingof rubber.

A further object of the invention is to form cords by applying the textile sheath to the-rubber core, and then flattening the cord into strip form and connecting these strips together to form a fabric.

A still further object of this invention is the removing of a portion of the rubber covering to expose the threads imbedded therein.

The invention further consists in the provision of a fabric having textile threads imbedded in its rubber body, the threads being disposed at an angle to the wearingsurface of the fabric.

A still further object of this invention is f to superimpose a plurality of cords formed of rubber cored and coated threads and unite 7 this rubber surface to form a fabric and then split, 'cut, sever or otherwise treat the fabric to expose the ends of the threads imbedded therein, whereby these threads are disposed on an incline to the wearing surface of the fabric.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims. n

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a fragmental portion of a tire casing to which my improve fabric is applied, the ends of the threads imbedded in the rubber portion of the fabric being exposed to provide an anti-slip ping-tread for the casing. Figure 2 is a. greatl enlarged perspective view'showing a rub er core with textile threads braided to form a sheath aboutthe same, the interstices between the threads of the sheath being of a substantial size.

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the cord as being flattened and the core material as forced outwardly through the inter-. stices between the threads.

Figure 4 is a greatly enlarged sectional view showing a portion of the flattened cord with a rubber core therein as forced outward through the interstices between the threads and before this exuded portion of the plastic core is spread into the outer covering over the threads.

Figure-5 is a perspective view illustrating the exuded portion of thee core material as having been spread over the outer surface of the threads of the sheath to form an outer coating of substantial thickness.

Figure 6 shows a plurality of these out cords in which the textile threads are imbedded as set side by side and connected together by application of pressure thereto.

igure 7 is a perspective view-illustrating the fabric shown in Figure 6, as severed on lines 77 of Figure 6, to expose the ends of the textile threads on the surface of the abric.

Figure 8 is a plan view illustrating different steps in one method of treating the cords of my im roved fabric before assembling them side y side and forcing them together under pressure and splitting or severing the same.

Figure 9 is a sideelevation of the mechanism partly in section, illustrated in Figure 8.-

It is found in practice of advantage to provide a fabric composed of rubber and textilethreads in which the ends of the threads are exposed or brought to the working surface of the fabric, to, provide a yieldable wearing surface which will cling strongly to the sur face on which it contacts to prevent slippingv thereon, its use being of great advantage par ticularly in the treads of'automobile tires and also in the treads of rubber heels and in fabric employed for obtainin other similar results. It is also found 0 advantage to form this fabric by first braiding textile threads to form asheat abouta rubber core and applying pressure to the same to cause the material of the core to exude through the interstices of the sheath to the outside thereof thus forming a coating thereover of substantial thickness, then to flatten these cords into strips, and assemble and unite a plurality of lengths of these strips forming fabric of any desired continuous length and of any desired width dependent on the number of strands laid side by side and of any desired thickness depending upon the width of the different strips. It is also found in some instances, of advantage to split, sever, or otherwise treat the fabric to expose the ends of the threads imbedded therein to the working surface of the fabric. It is also found of advantage to arrange the fabric so that the threads shall lie on an angle to the wearing surface thereof, whereby the threads will effect an anti-slipping action and still not materially affect the flexibility of the working surface; and the following is a detailed description of the present embodiment of my invention and showing one means or method by which these advantageous results may be accomplished \Vith reference to the drawings, 10 designates a core which is preferably of plastic material such as soft rubber or other suitable substances about which is braided textile threads 11 forming a sheath about the core having spaces or interstices 12 between the threads, which may be of any suitable size but which are herein shown as being substantially equal to the diameter of the sheath threads thus forming a cord 15 of the desired diameter.

This cord may be treated in any suitable Way, but I preferably wind the desired lengths of the same upon reels 13, I then mount the desired number of these reels upon a shaft 14 and lead the cords 15 therefrom into a tank 16 and immerse the same in a liquid 17 which may be of any suitable material adapted to cleanse the threads of the textile sheath from its grease or other foreign matter, and also enter the interstices of the fabric and treat the rubber core to remove the undesired matter therefrom after which the cord may be passed through a dryer or heater 18 or it may be treated to a suitable rubber solvent and then through suitable rolls, the first set 19 being preferably corrugated lengthwise of the roll,,-whereby the spaces between the teethpermit the core material to be forced outwardly through the interstices of the sheath to the outside thereof. The next set of rolls QObeing preferably provided with circular corrugations which cooperate with the first set of rolls to permit the core material to be forced out through other interstices in the sheath and then finally the cord which is now flattened down into strip form is passed through a set of plain rolls which serve to spread this exuded core material over the outer surface of the sheath threads thus forming a strip having a thin rubber core, a sheath of textile threads braided about the core and a covering or casing of rubber formed upon the outer surface of the casing. These strips after having been thus treated are brought together between the pressure rolls 22 and 23, one set of which may serve, if desired, to heat the material of the strip and firmly roll the different strips together to form a homogeneous fabric of any desired length, the thickness being controlled by the number of cords which are laid side by side to form the fabric and the width of the fabric being controlled by the relative diameter of the core 10 and the amount that this sheath-covered core is compressed.

The fabric 2 1 thus formed, it will be seen, provides a plurality of layers of textile threads which are imbedded and covered completely with plastic rubber.

In some instances where it is found desirable to expose the ends of these threads and bring them to the working surface of the fabric, I split the fabric with a cutter 25, or any other suitable means which brings the ends of the threads to the surface of each half of the split fabric. This fabric, when applied to the tread of a tire-casing, may be formed in a continuous serpentine shape, one form of which is illustrated in Figure 1 and molded in the tire, or the fabric may be made of a width suflicient to be cut into heels, or this fabric may be manipulated to form any other desired product, preferably one which is called upon to withstand great frictional resistance, and to prevent slipping upon coming in contact with wet or slippery surfaces, also to provide a surface which will withstand great wear and long service.

It will be noted by my construction of fabric that the threads lie at an oblique angle to its working surface which disposition of the threads performs two functions, first, by cutting the threads on an oblique angle a greater surface of the thread end is exposed than when cut at a right angle to its axis. Then again, where the thread is .laid on an oblique angle to the Working surface of the fabric the yielding characteristics of the rubber are not resisted or diminished by the bending or deflecting of the thread sideways nearly as much as though the threads set squarely upon their ends. Then again, by forming a braided sheath about the core the threads which are set obliquely to the axis of the core, when subsequently severed to bring their ends to the surface, are permanently locked in the rubber body of the fabric and cannot be withdrawn therefrom by any excessive frictional or slipping strains which may be applied to the working surface of the fabric.

My improved fabric is of simple and practical construction and may be made of any desired length and bent into any desired form to form a continuous frictional tread for tire casings and other purposes and when so 20 ucled material over the outer surface of the sheath, arranging the coated cords in substanagainst the slipping action of the working surface of a tire or other device to which it may be applied. This fabric may or may not be vulcanized as required.

' Having thus described one illustrative embodiment of my invention and the best mode known to me for carrying out my method, I

desire-it to be understood that although spethe terms of the appended claims. I Iclaim:

cific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense and not for the purpose of limitation, the scope of the in vention being defined and limited only by l. A method of forming a cord fabric, which consists in forming each cord by loosely braidingtextile threads to form a sheath about aplastic core, subjecting each cord to pressure to force the'core material outwardly through interstices in the sheath, spreading the extial parallelism with their broad surfaces in contact and subjecting the Whole to pressure to cause the coated surface of the cords to unite into a homogeneous mass encasin'g a gether, each strip having a core of soft rubber surrounded by a sheath of interwoven textile threads and provided with interstices, the threads of said sheaths being imbedded in a soft rubber coating of substantial thickness, said coated strips being united, 'and portions of the coating being removed to expose the ends of said threads imbedded therein.

5. A fabric formed of a plurality of strips of material, each having a core of soft rubber surrounded by a sheath of intermeshed braided threads imbedded in a coating of soft rub- 1 ber of substantial thickness and portions of the coating being removed to expose the ends of the threads imbedded therein.

6. A fabric of a combination of rubber and intermeshed textile threads, the threads being imbedded in the rubber, each thread having two ends exposed on one surface of said fabric, and interwoven with other threads having their ends exposed. .1

A fabric formed of a combination of rubber and interwoven textile threads, said threads being imbedded in the rubber and disposed at an acute angle to the wearing sur face ofthe fabric, the ends ofsaidthreads being exposed in said surface, and each thread interwoven with other threads having their ends exposed.

8. A fabric formed of a combination of rubber and textile threads, said threads being imbedded .in the rubber and disposed diagonallyto the Wearing surface of the fabric, two ends of each thread beinguexposed in said surface, and interwoven with oth'er threads.

having their ends exposed.

"In testimony whereof I afiix my si nature.

EDWARD ING,

thickness, arranging the coated flattened I V cords with their broad surfaces face to face and subjecting the whole to pressure to cause the co tings of the different cords to unite to form fabric, and removing a portion of the fabric to expose'the ends of the textile threads imbedded therein. 4

3. A method of forming a cord fabric, which consists in forming each cord byloosely braiding textile threads to' form an interstitial sheath about a plastic core, treating said cord to remove objectionable foreign matter, drying said cord, subjecting said cord to, pressure rolls having, recesses therein to permit said core to exude through interstices V of said sheath, spreading said exuded material to form a coating over the outer surface of the sheath, arranging thecoated cords in substantial parallelism, and subjecting the whole to pressure to'cause the coated surfaces of the cords to unite, and splitting a portion of said cord fabric to expose ends of saidtextile threads. a

4. A fabric formed of a plurality .of lengths of flattened cords in strip form and united to.- 

